Iran nominates Mehrdad Ahlaghi Ketabchi for defense minister post — Asharq Al-Awsat
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has submitted to parliament the nomination of Mehrdad Ahlaghi Ketabchi for the post of minister of defense and armed forces logistics. This was reported by Asharq Al-Awsat, citing presidential adviser Sasan Valizadeh and the semi-official Mehr agency.
Parliamentary vote
Iran's parliament is to consider the candidate's program and hold a confidence vote. Iranian media note that parliamentary approval of candidates for sensitive security positions is usually considered a formality: the nomination and public announcement of a candidate generally indicate that he has already received the approval of the supreme leader.
At the same time, according to the outlet, Iranian media raised questions about how Ahlaghi Ketabchi's candidacy was approved at the highest level of the country's political leadership, given the Iranian supreme leader's prolonged absence from public view.
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Vacant post
According to Asharq Al-Awsat, the post became vacant after Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes in February. Since March 2, the ministry has been led by acting minister Majid Ebn-e-Reza, a former deputy defense minister. He represented Iran domestically and abroad, but was not nominated for a permanent appointment.
Experience in the missile industry
Ahlaghi Ketabchi worked at Iran's Ministry of Defense for a long time and has ties to the country's missile and aerospace sectors. In 2007, the UN Security Council placed him on its sanctions list as head of the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, linked to Iran's ballistic missile program. His name reappeared on UN sanctions lists after previous restrictions were reinstated in September 2025.
In 2014, Ahlaghi Ketabchi was appointed head of the Aerospace Industries Organization. The United States imposed sanctions on him in 2020 over alleged links to Iran's weapons-related activities, while the United Kingdom did so in 2023 over alleged involvement in Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile activities.
